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Sheriff Ron Lockhart of Sequoyah County hasn't yet determined
that the death of 65-year-old Danny Vanzandt was definitely a
case of spontaneous combustion — but he hasn't ruled it out,
either.

"It's very unusual, and it's bizarre, and I can't explain it,"
Lockhart told
KFSM. "I'm not saying this happened. I'm just saying that we
haven't ruled it out."

Vanzandt's brother discovered the victim in the kitchen and
immediately called 911, according to KFSM. Fire crews found a
badly burned body, but no fire damage to nearby furniture or
other items. There were no signs of a break-in, a struggle or any
other cause of death.

For any item to combust, it needs at least two things: a source
of ignition and fuel for a fire. In many alleged cases of SHC,
the victims were smokers or were near open flames like candles or
a burning fireplace.

And the fuel for SHC might come from the victims themselves. Fat
will burn, and fatty tissue is often located directly beneath the
skin. Clothing or hair can act as candle wicks, according to
researcher Joe Nickell, who investigated several such cases in
his book, "Real-Life X-Files" (University Press of Kentucky,
2001).

Alcohol abuse is an additional factor in many cases of
spontaneous combustion, either because it causes the victims to
"pass out" or sleep soundly, or because alcohol itself is
flammable. According to KFSM, Vanzandt was a heavy drinker and a
heavy smoker who also had "poor hygiene" and no running water in
his house at the time of his death.

Investigators also noted that Vanzandt had burn marks in his
trachea, indicating he may have inhaled a considerable amount of
smoke and carbon monoxide, which can cause a person to lose
consciousness and, in high concentrations, can be deadly,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Though the term "spontaneous combustion" sounds like a sudden
burst of flames, Lockhart told KFSM the body appeared to have
burned for up to 10 hours. Vanzandt's remains have been sent to
the Oklahoma medical examiner's office in Tulsa, which will
determine the cause of death.